TIP-Ex ’18 sees Thompsons launch its most significant new body for a decade – the Loadmaster X – Lite.

At some 300kgs lighter than the ever – popular Loadmaster Lite, the success of the new X – Lite with UK tipper operators looks inevitable.

The key to X – Lite is a stronger, harder and more abrasion – resistant grade of Hardox steel, called Hardox 500tuf. Ideally suited to heavy duty tipper work, the increased performance of Hardox 500tuf means that X- Lite’s floor thickness can be reduced, creating a substantial weight saving.

Whereas the current Loadmaster Lite has a 5mm floor, X – Lite’s floor with Hardox 500tuf is 20% thinner at 4mm thick. There are further material changes for X – Lite too. Side panel thickness of the long – proven Hardox 450 material has also been reduced by 20% from 4mm to 3.2mm, whilst X – Lite’s headboard is now just 3mm thick.

The result of all these improvements is an overall weight saving of around 300kgs, thereby offering a similar amount of extra payload.

Confirming Thompsons’ market – leading position, Loadmaster X – Lite is the first tipper body in the UK to use the new Hardox 500tuf.

Scott Burton from Thompsons comments

“the Loadmaster Lite has been the UK’s top selling tipper body for many years, but now we can take the Loadmaster family another stage further with the X – Lite. This new body will be of particular interest to payload – conscious aggregates hauliers who, in an ideal world, also want the extra strength of steel. For them, an extra 300kgs of payload in one go is a huge step forward.

For our traditional steel body customers, they will be delighted not just at the significant extra payload potential of X – Lite, but also the fact that the long – proven Loadmaster design itself remains virtually unchanged.

With an expanded range of three Loadmaster models, Thompsons can now satisfy an even wider section of the market.”

Exhibited in Hall A of the TIP-Ex Show on a New Generation Scania chassis, the X-Lite body is also fitted with an air-operated automatic tailgate, Edbro tipping cylinder and VWS on – board weighing equipment.

nb: Photo is of the current Loadmaster Lite, the UK’s top-selling tipper body.
TIP-Ex 2018 sees the first ever example of the all – new Loadmaster X – Lite